Hell and Rage
by gammaxmen80
Summary: Incredible Hulk/Buffy crossover. Buffy meets a monster so unlike the monsters she'd been up against! FB me!
1. Prelude

The Incredible Hulk/Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Hell And Rage  
  
Disclaimers: I don't own both Buffy and the Hulk. Buffy is owned by Mutant Enemy and Fox. Bruce Banner and the Hulk are owned by Marvel  
  
Reason why I decided to write this: Buffy faced so many supernatural things that I thought it would be cool if she faced a creature who was a force of nature in his own right.  
  
This takes place during Bruce Jones' run in the Incredible Hulk, and this takes place just after Season Seven on Buffy starts which means it's post Lessons.  
  
Prelude:  
  
Robert Bruce Banner studied his laptop as he rode the bus to Sunnydale. His mysterious friend, Mr. Blue, told him that for the moment there were no immediate forces chasing after him. Maybe now he would get some peace for a while.  
  
He took his cap off and ran a hand through his already growing hair. He'd shaved his head to avoid recognition. When you're a fugitive, wanted by half the United States Army, plus a secret organization because they want what's inside you. Life as a fugitive would've been easier if Bruce HAD committed a crime. But the truth is that for Bruce Banner, life as a fugitive was considerably harder than any fugitives on the run. Because Robert Bruce Banner was wanted because of his other, dark self.  
  
The crime he had committed wasn't a crime at all. Bruce Banner saw a boy driving onto the test site where the gamma bomb, his creation, was due to detonate. Bruce ran out and dragged the boy to a protective trench, and threw him into it, but he was too late to save himself as the gamma bomb exploded. Though a good five miles away, Bruce Banner felt the gamma radiation affecting him. He began to scream, and collapsed with his voice hoarse after hours of screaming. The boy, Rick Jones, watched in horror and awe as Bruce Banner literally burst out of his clothes as his muscles grew to abnormal porpations, and his body grew to the size of a giant, and his skin turned all grey.  
  
That was the first night Bruce Banner transformed into the monster men would call the Hulk.  
  
Over the years, Banner had undergone so many changes, both physically and psychologically, that it would become second nature to him. He'd been a green-skinned brute with the intellect of a child, a grey-skinned creature of perverted pleasure, and all his secret desires given form.  
  
But ultimately, he remained the constant; Bruce Banner.  
  
But recently his life had been in turmoil. Both he and the Hulk, framed for the death of a boy, though to be murdered when the Hulk collapsed a building in Chicago, has been dealing with people they thought they could trust, and people who wants the Hulk for some unknown reason.  
  
He glanced at the Welcome to Sunnydale sign. Bruce hoped that he can hide out for a while, but somehow he had the feeling that things wouldn't go as he had planned. He was used to that feeling.  
  
As Bruce stepped out of the bus at the bus stop, he felt the beast inside him becoming. what was the word? Nervous. The Hulk? Nervous? Somehow, he didn't like that at all.  
  
He could hear his-their voices screaming at him to get back onto the bus.  
  
He could do that, but as he turned around, he saw that the bus already left.  
  
Something about Sunnydale set the Hulk off. All the Hulks.  
  
He sighed and started to walk, but he didn't get any far when suddenly he felt hands grabbing him, and dragging him into a dark alley.  
  
When he got a good look at his attackers, he was surprised. They looked human, but not completely human, as the head ridges and fangs were testimony, as well as the glowing eyes.  
  
The vampires were about to feast on their latest meal, but one of them saw a strange thing; the scrawny guy's eyes; they were glowing emerald green, and he could swear he could hear a hoarse growl from him.  
  
The vampire didn't ponder this because the next instant he was turned into a pile of dust as he was staked through the back.  
  
Buffy Summers cursed herself. She had planned on a quiet night, but Sunnyhell seemed to screw her life over. Buffy didn't notice the fading green glow in the eyes of the guy she'd just saved as she pulled the vampire about to bite him off him. She staked him, and moved on to the next one, "Okay, cowboy, you want to bite somebody, try me for size."  
  
The vampire growled at the Slayer, "I ain't afraid of you, Slayer." But he was lying to himself. He was so scared that he'd pissed his pants, which was visible, even in the darkness.  
  
"Oh, really," Buffy grinned, "Then you won't mind if I test that theory. And by the way, didn't your mommy teach you to potty?"  
  
Bruce was impressed as he watched the girl, the Slayer, as one of the creatures called her. He'd seen some people her age fighting creatures like that. Hell, Rick Jones, the boy he'd saved when the gamma bomb went off, was about her age. He'd recalled that when he was her age, he'd shared a dual existence with the alien called Captain Marvel. He watched as the creature lunged at her, and the Slayer sidestepped him, and he tried not to laugh as the creature fell face first into the pavement.  
  
Buffy smirked, "Tsk, tsk, and I thought vampires were tougher than this. What is this, vampire day off?" she shook her head in amusement before staking him.  
  
That joke was lame, even to Buffy, but her typical punning sense went on strike ever since Sunnydale High reopened.  
  
She walked over to the guy, who was already picking himself up, "You okay?"  
  
He nodded, "Yeah. Apparently, they must've been new at this."  
  
Buffy was surprised, "You've seen vampires before?"  
  
"You wouldn't believe me, Miss.?"  
  
"Summers. Buffy Summers. You're new here."  
  
Bruce smiled at Buffy, "Just. passing through. Is there any place where I can spend the night?"  
  
Buffy pointed at the motel, "Over there. The motel's full of cockroaches and the TV reception's not so great, but hey."  
  
Inside, Buffy winced at seeing the motel because it was the same motel Faith, another Slayer, spent.  
  
Okay, Summers, Buffy chastised herself, Stop thinking about bad memories.  
  
Bruce nodded, and turned, "Thanks for your help, Miss Summers."  
  
He started to walk off towards the motel, but for some reason, Buffy called out, "Hey, what's your name?"  
  
Bruce turned, and the first alias that sprung to his mind was, "Rick Bixby."  
  
He turned and kept walking.  
  
Buffy watched as the guy who called himself Rick Bixby walked off. Something was off about this guy, but she didn't know what.  
  
She turned, and walked back to her house. Dawn had to be worried. She was late, and she'd promised Dawn she'd help out with her homework.  
  
To be continued..  
  
Feedback me at gamma_xmen@yahoo.com 


	2. Chapter One

Chapter One  
  
Bruce dumped his duffel bag onto the floor and collapsed onto his bed. He took a deep breath. That was too close. The vampires, if that's what they were, were lucky they had the Slayer, as that girl was called, instead of having to deal with.him. The Hulk would've torn them apart.  
  
He took his glasses off; to rub his tired eyes. These days he's feeling like a tired old man. Bruce Banner has spent a good amount of his adult life on the run, looking for a cure for his affliction. But they never seemed to work. He'd learned a long time ago two perfectly good reasons for that.  
  
The first reason was that Bruce's physiology, altered by gamma radiation, had been implanted in his DNA code after so many years. He doubted that any of the cures would've worked on him.  
  
The second reason was his multiple personalities, given form by the gamma radiation, weren't about to let Bruce cure himself, because that'd mean all of them would remain trapped in his head, never to see the sunlight again. Bruce often wondered what would've happened if he hadn't been exposed to the radiation all these years ago.  
  
"I suppose I'd have ended up in a padded room a long time ago." He mused aloud.  
  
Bruce decided that that was enough stowing around. He'd spent too much of his life doing that. He got up and left his motel room to get dinner.  
  
What he didn't know that others were watching him.  
  
From the shadows, two vampires were watching him. One of them moaned aloud, "This one is raw power." She clutched her head, her claws digging into her scalp, "He will be the harbinger of death and destruction. He holds within him the key to open the Hellmouth, and unleash the most beautiful demons ever seen."  
  
Glenn Talbot, formerly an Air Force major, now supposedly dead, grinned evilly, "Then let's use this to our advantage, Dru." He smirked at Drusilla, and turned back to watching the unsuspecting man walk.  
  
"Better get ready, Banner." Talbot chortled, " 'Cause the time to set the beast free is coming, and revenge on him and everyone who has ever left me will be mine."  
  
To be continued... 


	3. Chapter Two

Chapter Two  
  
Buffy and Dawn were working on her homework when the phone rang.  
  
"Hold on, li'l sis. I got it." Buffy said as she hurried to get the phone, "Hello?"  
  
"Hey, Buffy," It was Willow.  
  
Buffy smiled, "Hey, Will, how are you enjoying England?" Willow had to leave with Giles for England to control her powers as a witch.  
  
"The country looks great, and ooh! They got cool clothes, like you wouldn't believe! There's clothes, coats, shoes. All kinda Austin Powers like."  
  
Buffy giggled, "Sounds like you're enjoying the sight-seeing, Will, but how are you?"  
  
Willow sobered up, "I'm fine. Okay, not fine fine, but more like in- between fine. I'm still dealing after everything that's happened. Listen, Buffy, I got to warn you. I kinda got a sensation, you know, like the earth was being ripped apart. Something bad is happening, and I'm afraid."  
  
Buffy didn't like that a bit, "Will, relax, whatever it is, we'll handle it. Besides, hey, the earth ripping was probably just Sunnydale High's reopening. And, oh! Dawn made two new friends on her first day. It took a gang of zombie ghost things to do it, but hey, I'm not complaining. I also got a job there. Principal Wood offered me to be a counselor, which is cool coz I get to keep an eye on Dawn, AND the school, and. and I'm babbling, aren't I?"  
  
Willow giggled, "Don't worry, Buf-" suddenly there was an earthquake.  
  
"Earthquakes? In Sunnydale?" Buffy mused aloud, then turned back to talk to Willow, but there was nothing. Earthquake probably cut the phone lines off.  
  
Suddenly her cell phone rang. Those days, she and the Scoobies went wireless. And she decided that it was kinda cool.  
  
"Hello?" Buffy answered into the cell.  
  
"Ah, Buff," Xander Harris. "you better come over to the bar across Willy's. It seems there's a big, green monster who looked like he could take Adam or the Master or both and flatten them into coasters, going crazy here."  
  
Buffy sighed. Another monster of the week, another typical night in Sunnydale.  
  
"I'm on my way, Xander. Get everyone out if you can." She was already digging into her weapon chest for a battle ax and a crossbow.  
  
"Can do, as soon as my pants finishes getting wet, and my body stops panicking. I'm tellin' you, this thing looks like something I don't think even you could beat."  
  
"That was what we thought about Adam and Glory, and look at what happened to them," Buffy smiled in the phone as she ran to the door.  
  
Disconnecting the cell, she stopped at the door, and turned to her sister, "Stay here, Dawn, and you know what to do if any uninvited guests comes in, except, well for vamps. They pretty much needs to be invited to come in."  
  
Dawn pouted, "Can I come with?"  
  
Buffy shook her head, "No, sis. You've got homework, so work on it." And with that, Buffy left the house in search for the demon.  
  
A few minutes of running, and Buffy stopped as she saw Xander, "Hey, anyone hurt?"  
  
Xander turned to face Buffy, "Hey. Nope. Well, maybe one or two, but otherwise, nobody's dead yet. Everyone pretty much ran out here when greenie showed."  
  
Buffy nodded, "Stay out here, and help anyone who might needs it. I'm going in."  
  
With that, Buffy started to walk towards the bar, but her eyes widened, and she ducked as the entire bar, wooden bar, soared out of the tavern and crashed into a nearby car, making a big dent in it.  
  
Okay, Buffy thought, Maybe this was a bad idea. But nonetheless entered the bar.  
  
She looked around, and saw destruction everywhere. A hole in the wall, or two, big ones, tables, now piles of splinter.  
  
THOOM! She whirled around, and hurt her neck, as she looked up and down at what had to be a seven feet thing. As Xander said, this was a green monster. Kinda like Frankenstein, but not really.  
  
There wasn't a part of him that wasn't oversized muscles. He looked human, and Buffy might've thought that he was human if it wasn't for the green skin, plus the fact that he's really, really big.  
  
He wore torn up blue jeans, and Buffy got the impression that they looked like he might've burst out of those, plus there were remains of what she thought was a T-shirt.  
  
But all of that didn't compare to his face. It looked human, but his eyes were glowing green, and Buffy had to step back from the rage and anger in the monster's eyes and facial expressions.  
  
"Okay, um." Buffy aimed her crossbow, "Hold it, ah, right there?"  
  
The green-skinned giant merely growled, and stomped his left foot down, which sent a minor shockwave which caused Buffy to lose her balance.  
  
She looked up quickly and saw the green thingy approaching her.  
  
Then he shocked the shit out of her.  
  
He spoke.  
  
And they weren't good words.  
  
"Leave Hulk alone or Hulk will SMASH!!"  
  
Oh, boy, Buffy thought, this definitely was a bad idea.  
  
To be continued. 


	4. Chapter Three

Chapter Three  
  
Buffy reacted and leaped out of the way before a gigantic fist smashed in the floor.  
  
She rolled to her feet, aiming her crossbow, "Okay.um.Mr. Hulk. maybe this is all a misunderstanding. Why don't I just leave you alone.to, um, yanno, to smash things."  
  
Hulk? Buffy thought, What kind of name is that?  
  
"Stupid Crossbow Girl thinks Hulk is stupid. Tries to trick Hulk, like all puny humans, but Hulk stronger than girl."  
  
"Hey! Crossbow Girl?" Buffy yelled indignantly, "Take that back!"  
  
The Hulk growled and charged at her, and Buffy, in Slayer mode, fired the crossbow, but all the arrow did was break off as it hit the Hulk.  
  
The Hulk kept charging at Buffy as if he didn't notice the arrow, except he seemed to be madder now.  
  
"Great," Buffy mumbled, "That's all I need, one seriously pissed-off monster after me."  
  
But the Hulk heard what the girl said, and snarled, now even more mad, "Hulk is not monster. Hulk is Hulk!"  
  
Buffy dodged just in time as the Hulk smashed through the wall she was up against.  
  
Buffy rolled back onto her feet, taking her ax out, just as the Hulk appeared from the hole he just made. Much to Buffy's chagrin, he didn't look like crashing through the wall didn't even faze him.  
  
Hulk kept ranting, "Crossbow Girl is the monster, not Hulk! Girl attacked Hulk, Hulk did not attack girl! Puny humans attack Hulk. Hulk does not want to fight them."  
  
Buffy cringed. Obviously someone had attacked him first, and he sounded like he wasn't too trusting.  
  
Buffy put the ax down, and held her hands up, "Okay, wait, Hulk, maybe you're right, maybe we did attack you first. can we just, um, start over?"  
  
The Hulk paused in his attack, seeming to consider the proposal.  
  
"Maybe we can, uh, be friends?"  
  
The Hulk only snorted, "Hulk has no friends, girl. Friends leave Hulk. Friends die and leave Hulk."  
  
Buffy just shook her head. Has it always been that way for this poor creature?  
  
"Maybe." Buffy cautiously approached the green giant, "Maybe it doesn't have to be that way, Hulk."  
  
The Hulk just stood there, looking at the girl, still considering her words. Somewhere inside the monster, the child desperately wanted to believe her, but he's heard those words before. And the humans who said them to him betrayed him.  
  
Just then they heard sirens approaching, and the Hulk growled, then snarled at the girl.  
  
"Girl tried to trick Hulk. Puny humans are coming to attack Hulk! But Hulk is tired of running away! Now HULK FIGHTS BACK!"  
  
The Hulk prowled through the front of the tavern, oblivious to Buffy's protesting words.  
  
"No, Hulk! I didn't--!" Buffy silently cursed the cops. Why did they have to show up? She was so close to reaching him!  
  
The cops, needlessly to say, were shocked to find a seven foot, green skinned monster smashing his way out.  
  
They had expected to find a couple of guys getting rowdy, but they had never expected. THAT.  
  
They did the only rational thing in a situation like this.  
  
They panicked.  
  
And started firing their guns at the green monster.  
  
The bullets only bounced off, for all the good they did.  
  
"Hulk hates stupid guns. Puny humans shoot stupid guns at Hulk. They think guns can hurt Hulk."  
  
The Hulk swatted the cops in front of him away with a wave of his arm.  
  
"But all they can do is make Hulk MAD!"  
  
The Green Goliath picked a nearby police car, further scattering the cops and civilians, "And the madder Hulk gets,"  
  
He held the car above his head like it was made of paper, and then.  
  
KA----BOOM!!!!!  
  
The Hulk brought it down, crashing on another police car!  
  
"THE STRONGER HULK GETS!" The Hulk finished, roaring.  
  
Buffy snuck out of the tavern before the Hulk noticed her, still cursing the idiots and their bad timing.  
  
Just then she saw a Greyhound bus coming at the Hulk. But she also saw. "Xander! No!"  
  
Xander had seen what the thing could do, and figured that trying to fight him was stupid and suidicial, but then Alexander Harris never did claim to be smart.  
  
So he got onto the bus, and started driving it at full speed, trying to ram the big thing down.  
  
The Hulk saw it coming and growled.  
  
"Okay, big green." Xander nervously smiled, trying to fight down the big lump in his throat, and trying to stop himself from wetting his pants down, "You want it, you got it!"  
  
At the last moment, Xander jumped out of the bus, just before it approached the Hulk.  
  
The Hulk merely stood as the bus came at him.  
  
KKKKAA----BOOM!!!  
  
And then there was silence.  
  
Nothing for a few long minutes.  
  
Xander picked himself up, still hurting from that jump off.  
  
He was walking down towards Buffy, calling out, "Is he. dead?"  
  
Buffy's only answer was a shake of her head. Just before a big, green hand appeared, covering Xander's viewpoint of Buffy.  
  
He didn't resist from wetting his pants this time.  
  
The hand dug into the bus's side, and the bus was being lifted off the ground, showing a very, very much alive and well Hulk.  
  
He was also angrier.  
  
"Stupid bus thought it killed Hulk, but Hulk is STRONGEST ONE THERE IS!"  
  
The bystanders, including Buffy and Xander, simply stood there and watch in mounting horror and awe as the Hulk crushed the bus, and compacted it into a really big ball with his bare hands.  
  
"Now stupid bus is stupid ball. Now stupid bus won't ever hurt Hulk again."  
  
The Hulk then threw the big ball through the tavern, causing the entire building to collapse.  
  
The cops and civilians all scattered as the building collapsed onto itself.  
  
"Now puny humans won't attack Hulk. Crossbow Girl won't attack Hulk."  
  
With that, the Hulk braced his legs, and he leaped away, his leg muscles propelling him away.  
  
For the longest time, Buffy and Xander just stood there.  
  
"Ah," Xander stammered, "Did. I. see what I thought I saw?"  
  
"If you mean," Buffy replied, "you saw a really big green monster trashing a bar, fighting cops and guns which about meant as much as peas to him, and crushing a bus, which had to weigh 2 or 3 tons, into a ball and threw it into the bar, and just jumping away like he was flying, then yeah, you saw what you thought."  
  
"Just what I thought." Then Xander turned to Buffy, "Did he just call you Crossbow Girl?"  
  
Buffy glared, "Shut up, Xander."  
  
In the shadows, unknown to the couple, stood Glenn Talbot and Drusilla.  
  
Talbot smiled at the rapidly diminishing sight of the Hulk departing, then turn to her.  
  
"So what do you think of him, love?" He grinned.  
  
"Ohhh," Dru purred, "He is chaos, rage and raw power incarnated. He has the power to open the Hellmouth itself."  
  
"And the key to it is you, Dru," Talbot replied, still evilly grinning, "And all you have to do is wrapping him around your finger, and he'll be all ours."  
  
"Ooh," Dru cooed, "I can just see it now, death and destruction, the world bleeding."  
  
Dru's face transformed into its vampire form, as she finished, "Green."  
  
To be continued.  
  
THAT was for you guys who loves cliffhangers! :D 


	5. Chapter Four

Chapter Four  
  
The Hulk wandered around the woodlands on the outskirts of Sunnydale for hours.  
  
Then he collapsed against a tree, and his breathing became slower as the vision of a beautiful woman in a bikini filled the Hulk's mind.and he could almost hear the soothing beat of the waves hitting the sand.  
  
The Hulk's body shrunk, his muscles becoming softer.  
  
His facial features twisted, transforming into a more human appearance.  
  
His skin color turned from green to normal human white.  
  
His hair, which had grown back, also turned from dark green to dark brown.  
  
By the time the transformation was complete, in the Hulk's place was a frail little man named Bruce Banner.  
  
Bruce groaned, and put a hand to his head, trying to clear his mind, subconsciously already knowing what had happened.  
  
As his head cleared, he remembered more and more.  
  
He remembered three big men approaching him. He remembered them getting pushy with him just because they didn't like him.  
  
He remembered losing his temper, no matter how much he fought to keep his cool.  
  
He remembered feeling the transformation begin.  
  
But what happened between the transformation and now was all a dim memory.  
  
Whenever he transformed into the Hulk, all memories the Hulk might possess were lost to Bruce, and vice versa.  
  
Bruce picked himself up and walked back to the motel. As far as he could tell, Bruce was only on the outskirts of Sunnydale. Which is a good thing, because all his stuff was still at the motel.  
  
He sneaked into his room, hoping nobody saw him half-naked. It'd be a helluva hard to explain how he ended up wearing only torn-up pants which didn't quite fit anymore.  
  
He collapsed onto the bed, sighing. Being the Hulk always took a lot out of him.  
  
He turned the TV on, and saw the news of the destruction of the tavern Bruce was at. Bruce was surprised to hear that instead of the Hulk being the cause of the destruction, the news was reporting that faulty cement and building materials was what caused the building to collapsed. They even had an explanation for the crushed bus. The bus had been compacted recently, and it was being transported for scrap junk, but somehow the crushed bus ball fell off the truck it was on and rolled into the tavern, where it caused the faulty materials to collapse.  
  
None of the news ever mentioned the Hulk being involved.  
  
Bruce breathed a sigh of relief. If it had gotten out that the Hulk was in Sunnydale, Bruce would have no choice to leave. As odd as it is, Sunnydale didn't seem to know about the Hulk's existence, according to the sensations he got from remembering the Hulk's memories.  
  
The general public knew about the Hulk, and they also knew that Dr. Robert Bruce Banner was the Hulk, but oddly, somehow, Sunnydale seemed to be cut off from the world's media outputs. All he noticed was the news being reported here in Sunnydale, not outside.  
  
Clearly the Hulk's intuition when he had screamed inside Bruce's head earlier had been correct. There was something odd about this town.  
  
The vampires were no surprise, really. He's faced vampires before.  
  
But clearly, Bruce thought, there had been more to Sunnydale than vampires, and he can't help feeling that something terrible is coming, and that the Hulk has something to do with it.  
  
But he had no choice, whatever the case, he was going to face it, as he always did..as the Hulk.  
  
To be continued.. 


	6. Chapter Five

Chapter Five  
  
Talbot watched as Drusilla danced around the nest they've found in the sewers, moaning and yelling. He shook his head. This bitch really is crazy.  
  
"Ooo. the Moon says that we must take care of the green doggy from within. " she placed a hand on her forehead, "There is much evil in the beast, but the man within keeps it at bay. We must remove the man in order to allow."  
  
she turned to Talbot, vamping out, "the devil within to take control of the beast."  
  
Talbot grinned, "And how are we going to do that, princess."  
  
Drusilla didn't really listen. Instead, she continued ranting. "Ooo..ahhh...the moon tells me the beast is close by. We must go to him.and play with the green puppy."  
  
The next evening, Bruce was eating his dinner at Doublemeat. He was drinking his soda, already disgusted with the food.  
  
What was I thinking? Bruce thought to himself, I could've gone to another restaurant.  
  
He dropped the tip on the table and left.  
  
His memories of the other night became clearer. He could remember that the Slayer futilely tried to stop the Hulk. He wasn't sure, but he thought from the sensations he received from the memories, that his alter ego did not kill the girl, which is good.  
  
Suddenly vampires leapt out, ambushing Bruce.  
  
He could feel himself losing his cool, but he managed to hold on.  
  
Just then, a woman with raven black hair appeared. A woman whose eyes twinkled with a light Bruce Banner had all been too familiar with.  
  
A light of insanity.  
  
He could tell that she was focusing her piercing eyes on Bruce, "Shhh.." The woman cooed, "Sssleep, little puppy. I want to play with you when you awaken."  
  
Bruce couldn't look away from her, even if the vampire wasn't holding his head to face her.  
  
"Sssleep," she seductively hissed like the serpent of Eden, and Bruce could feel his eyelids getting heavy, unable to resist her.  
  
But as he slept, a man stepped out of the shadows. He was familiar to Bruce, but he couldn't remember from where, because his vision became blurry by now.  
  
Darkness overtook him as he collapsed in the vampires' arms.  
  
"I hope your dreams are pleasant, Banner," Glenn Talbot grinned evilly, "Because they're the last dreams you'll ever have."  
  
To be continued. 


	7. Chapter Six

Chapter Six  
  
This was done by Jeff G. A big thanks to him for this.  
  
At the Summers household across town, Dawn sat at the computer and typed. She was looking over newspaper reports of Daily Bugle on their website. "Hey, guys, I think I got something," she said.  
  
Buffy and Xander walked to the teenager and stood on both sides of her as they recognized the picture of the Hulk. "Yup, that's him.and I'm having that non-diarrhea 'crappy' feeling again."  
  
Reading the article, Dawn said, "The Incredible Hulk has been named as the prime suspect in the murder of a small child when he smashed in a building."  
  
Buffy shook her head, saying, "The Hulk I saw seemed like he wouldn't intentionally kill children."  
  
"But the Hulk you saw also brought down a bar by throwing a balled-up bus into it. And after the cops couldn't make a dent in him," Xander said, walking away from the two.  
  
Dawn looked at Buffy and said, "I've been looking at articles similar to this for a good half-hour. Remarks range from 'monstrosity,' to 'misunderstood hero,' to 'force of nature, to 'walking wrath of God'."  
  
"This guy isn't like Glory, Buff," Xander said, "You can't fight him. As in, 'try to punch him, you'll break your frickin' hand.'"  
  
Buffy nodded and said, grabbing a bottle of milk from the refrigerator, "I get that, Xander. We can't fight him. But we can try and reason with him. It seems to something more like a child. The way it spoke, it was like it had been mistreated before."  
  
As she was hitting the scroll button without looking, Dawn said, "I know you've been a counselor at school for a few days, but Sigmund Freud you're not."  
  
After pouring a glass of milk, and putting it back in the refrigerator, Buffy said, "Well, since I can't fight it, and I won't just sit back and let it rip my town to pieces, what else is there?"  
  
"Maybe my construction site equipment can be of help. In the event that Hulk wants to grind you into fine spice," quipped Xander.  
  
"What a time for the most powerful witch in the world to go into rehab an ocean away," Dawn said.  
  
On the computer, beneath the picture of the Hulk, unknown to the remaining scoobies was a picture of Bruce Banner.  
  
Bruce opened his eyes and was surrounded by darkness. "Can't move my arms, sitting down, can't move my legs.hmmm wonder if I'm captured," Bruce said sarcastically.  
  
"Bruce, my love," a woman's voice said, "you're not captured. You're safe, now."  
  
The voice struck a horrifyingly familiar chord with Bruce as he whimpered, "No."  
  
A lovely blond-haired woman stepped out from the shadows. "It's me, Bruce. Don't worry, you're not dreaming."  
  
"Betty!" Bruce shouted as he smiled in glee. "But how? I thought you were."  
  
"Dead? Well, no, silly," Betty smiled and said, "Not even death would keep me from you. But I'm alive and you're safe now."  
  
Bruce chuckled and said, "If you mean being tied hand and foot to a chair, then yeah. I'm about as safe as it gets."  
  
"Good," Betty said, "Because there's something I've always wanted to do."  
  
From the same dark abyss stepped Glenn Talbot, who said, "Hello, Bruce. Long time no see."  
  
"Talbot? Betty what is this?" Bruce said; his happiness shattered almost instantaneously.  
  
Betty replied, with a gratingly hateful look in her eyes, "Coming back from life, I recognized the error of my ways. I never should have chosen you. All you ever did was give me grief, misery, and pain. You always left me, and instead of having the man I loved, I got a retarded green caveman for my troubles. At least with Glenn, I saw what I got. No split personalities, no big green monsters, no having to put up with you."  
  
Bruce, a tear streaking down his face, said, "Betty.what are you saying?"  
  
Betty replied, "I'm finally moving on with my life. Something I should done long ago."  
  
Glenn then said, "Face it, freak. I'm more of a 'man' than you'll ever be."  
  
Bruce whimpered and grunted as he struggled against the ropes. Why hasn't he transformed yet? What's holding him back? As he tried to free himself, other familiar faces began to reveal themselves. Rick Jones, Marlo, the Thing, General Ross, his mother, and his father. "Freak!" they chanted over and over.  
  
FREAK! FREAK! FREAK! FREAK! FREAK! FREAK! FREAK! FREAK!  
  
Bruce shut his tear-layered eyes. He heard their words sting and pierce his heart. Sobbing with his head down, he then bellowed and snarled. As he lifted his head, his eyes rolled back, then turned bright green and then glowed with a brilliant radiant green energy. As he easily burst from the ropes holding him, the Hulk immerged with a scream.  
  
But as the emerald Engine of Destruction turned to face the ones who ridiculed him, they vanished. Alone stood Drusilla who said, "They mocked you; my pretty doggy.called you names.they never loved the pookie; not like I do."  
  
Hulk knelt down with his anger-drenched face and said, "Who are you?"  
  
"Drusilla," said the vampire, who sent her left hand striding down Hulk's face. She continued, "I can tell you how to make them quiet forevermore.to silence everyone's lips.pry open the lips of the Hellmouth."  
  
"Where lips, funny-talking lady?" Hulk growled.  
  
Struck momentarily dumb by the green giant's nickname of her, Dru snapped out of it and said, "You already know. It called to you the minute you came here. Follow its call." Hulk nodded and was caught off guard as Drusilla said, "Such rage, oh such power.it's positively frightening and mouth- watering.no, that's not my mouth." Hulk turned away and stomped toward Sunnydale High  
  
Talbot came out as Hulk left the cavern. "It's only a matter of time."  
  
Drusilla however, fixated her gaze on the departing Hulk and said, "Drip, drip.moisture.down south."  
  
Talbot squinted his eyes and said, "You're sick, you know that? Let's go."  
  
Drusilla tilted her head and said, "Where?"  
  
"To make sure Hulk gets the job done. And to make sure no slayers get in the way."  
  
As Buffy was washing dishes, she heard the door open. "Buffy!" She turned to see Anya, in a blue shirt and white jeans, with black blood covering her. Her face was filled with repulsion and concern. "Who's the green freak? Is he a friend of yours? Or that stupid, spineless Xander?"  
  
"What?" said a confused Buffy, "green freak? Was he about seven foot tall, human-looking, muscular, and uber-strong?"  
  
"Yes, yes, yes, and Hell yes," replied Anya.  
  
"The Hulk," Buffy whispered, then looked to Anya, "Where did he go?"  
  
Anya replied, "Up towards the high school, said something about the Hellmouth."  
  
Buffy stood up and said, "What could the Hulk be doing down at the Hellmouth?"  
  
"If I didn't know better," said Xander, walking in with Dawn, "He means to open the sucker."  
  
Buffy said, "Whatever he's doing there, I've got to stop him."  
  
"How? Remember the whole 'can't fight him' thing?" Dawn said,  
  
Buffy walked to the door and said, "Remember the whole 'counselor' thing? Besides, if that doesn't work, I'll die with broken fists, then." 


	8. Chapter Seven

Chapter Seven  
  
Principal Robin Wood took a second to look heavenward and thanked God that there weren't too many people around now that the school was closed for the day as he watched them running outside as the green creature tore apart cars that were in his way.  
  
Being from New York, Wood knew who this thing was. The Hulk and it looked like he's decided to come to school.  
  
He sighed inwardly as he mentally cursed not bringing any weapons, but he was afraid that someone would find them.  
  
He'd come here to Sunnydale because rumor had it that the vampire who killed his mother was here.   
  
He'd taken this job as principal of this school to be closer to the Hellmouth.   
  
And now it looked like the Hulk was coming to open it.  
  
The Hulk stomped through the school grounds, leaving huge footprints. He saw the construction site that was still there. The voices told him that the Hellmouth was in the principal's office, but the construction site was in his way. So he walked into it, tearing apart poles and anything in his way, when suddenly, under his enormous weight, the floor collapsed and the Hulk fell through…into the mazes of the basement.  
  
The Green Goliath growled, shaking his head to clear it, and got up, leaving a bodyprint behind him.  
  
"Hulk lost." he muttered, the voices getting louder and louder in his head.  
  
Elsewhere, Talbot, Drusilla and a few vampires were still walking through the damage the Hulk left, when Talbot abruptly stopped. Dru looked back in confused.  
  
"Damn it all!" he cursed, as he looked into the hole, "He fell through the floor!"  
  
Dru still looked confused, "But our puppy will still break out, and bring Hell to Earth, Daddy?"  
  
"You don't understand, you crazed idiot," he snarled, "He's near where the last person I want him to run in is!"  
  
Dru widened her eyes in shock, but Talbot saw that she was looking over his shoulder.  
  
He understood instantly, and didn't even bother to turn to look, "Slayer?"  
  
Dru nodded, "Gold Slayer is coming."  
  
"Keep that bitch and her pals occupied while I go make sure that the Hulk does his job."  
  
Dru turned quickly to the other vamps and shouted orders that didn't make sense to them, and turned back to Talbot, only to find him gone.  
  
"Oohh…" Drusilla cooed, as she and the other vampires went to approach the Slayer…"Time for Miss Edith to have a playmate." She laughed maniacally.  
  
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
The Hulk kept walking, following the voices. They get quieter when he gets closer to the Hellmouth.  
  
Suddenly he heard another voice coming from inside a room  
  
"I'm bad. No, no nonononono! I'm good! Gotta help the girl! Must be good. Save her. Must be good."  
  
The Hulk burst through to find a puny human in a fetal position in a corner.  
  
He had white hair, the Hulk noticed this.  
  
The human didn't seem to notice him as he continued raving and ranting.  
  
"Oh, no, mummy, don't want any more pie."  
  
The Hulk didn't even react as the human suddenly jumped, as if he was attacking something, but the Hulk didn't see anything.  
  
"SHUT UP! You have no right! Twinkle twinkle!" he laughed maniacally.  
  
He finally noticed the green giant, "Well, well, company." He turned to shout into the darkness, "Mum! Company! Mustn't keep my hallucination waitin'"  
  
He turned back to the uncomprehending Hulk, who remained silent though confused.  
  
"Who you, White Hair?"  
  
"White Hair?" the human laughed hysterically, "That's a good one! Maybe I should be called that." He got onto his knees and crawled like a four-month baby, frantically looking for something, "Beneath you, it devours. Slayer gonna be bloody devoured. Must save her."  
  
Suddenly he turned around and jumped at the Hulk, screaming like a lunatic.  
  
He bounced off the Hulk's hide and crashed into the wall.  
  
The human shook his head, then looked up with a gleeful look.  
  
"You're real! You're not a figment of my imagination."  
  
He leaped at the Hulk again, but this time he hugged him.  
  
"Thank you! Thank you, mate!"  
  
"Who you, White hair?" the Hulk said again, growling this time.  
  
"Who me? Oh! Where's my bloody manners!" He tilted his head, as if speaking to another one, "Bad! Bad Spike! Shouldn't be rude!"  
  
He got off the Hulk, and danced around, laughing hysterically.  
  
"What you're looking at, mate, was once the Big Bad, one of the Scrounges of Europe, a poor human who once was called William the Bloody, because I wrote bloody awful poetry. I am now an insane vampire who called himself Spike."  
  
"Hulk…is Hulk." The green-skinned creature stood there, still uncomprehending.  
  
"Hulk, huh? Nice name. Has a ring to it, like the Titanic."  
  
"Hulk not…titan. Hulk is Hulk."  
  
The voices in his head were getting louder, but the Hulk could hear one voice. His voice.  
  
"Arrr.." he clutched his head and backed away from Spike.  
  
"Calm down," Bruce Banner's voice rang in the Hulk's head, "See the woman in the bikini."  
  
And the Hulk did see her, "Betty…" he murmered as he succumbed to the meditation Bruce had subconsciously implanted whenever the Hulk was calm enough.  
  
Spike had to wonder if he's starting to see things again, as the Hulk collapsed into a sitting position.  
  
The Hulk grunted, as his body started to shrink and his skin color was turning from emerald green to pale white, while his hair color turned from dark green to dark brown.  
  
His muscles, too, shrank into his body.  
  
His features changed, too, as he continued to change, taking on a more human look.  
  
Spike didn't seem to react as the frail body of Bruce Banner started to stir.  
  
"Where—where am I?" he mumbled, not yet aware of Spike.  
  
"Where are you?" Spike laughed hysterically, causing Bruce to jump, "Where is my head? Where did I go? Here, here, Spike…"  
  
He got back on all fours and crawled away, leaving a confused and concerned Bruce, "Uh… right. Whatever."  
  
He started to get up, but stumbled back.  
  
His heart went cold as he heard a familiar voice.  
  
"Well, well, Brucie!" he whirled to see Glenn Talbot standing there.  
  
"How did you survive that volanco, Talbot?" he growled.  
  
Talbot raised up a shaking finger as if to scold a child, "Ah, ah, ah, Banner. That would be telling, wouldn't it?"  
  
"You died fighting the Hulk. Yet you're here. Alive. How?"  
  
Talbot merely smiled, "Did you really think it would be that easy, Banner? Just because you're Banner, and not the Hulk, doesn't mean you don't belong to me. You're mine, body and soul. Mine to control."  
  
Bruce stared at Talbot, considering his words, "And what makes you think that, 'Talbot'?"  
  
"Because of all the fools I took control of, even our mutual friend, Angel, you are the easiest."  
  
Bruce was surprised when Talbot mentioned Angel, "you know Angel."*  
  
Talbot's face darkened, "Let's just say I met him one Christmas three years ago."  
  
And that confirmed Bruce's suspicions; this was not Talbot. How could it be, when he died in a volanco longer ago than three years, his entire body burnt into nothingness?  
  
"Ah," "Talbot" suddenly smirked, "Very good, Doctor Banner. You're right about that. I'm not Major Talbot."  
  
Bruce was completely surprised; "You read my mind?"  
  
"Talbot" laughed, "That's right, Doctor. Your mind's a trifle hard to read, given the thousands of personalities residing in there, but I make do."  
  
"So tell me, who are you?"  
  
"You have no idea of what I am, Doctor." "Talbot" morphed into Marlo Chandler, as he walked toward Bruce.  
  
"I am a force as old as time itself," "Marlo" morphed again, into General Ross.  
  
"I am evil itself," "General Ross" became "Rick Jones".  
  
"I am death and destruction incarnated," "Rick" became "Betty Banner".  
  
"I am First among them." "Betty" became "Buffy".  
  
And Bruce thought he could hear thunder as "Buffy" spoke…  
  
*Note: Bruce met Angel in Gman's story, "Curses and Blessings". This story is part two of a trilogy he and I are working on. Before you continue reading it, please read his story at:  
  
http://www.fanfiction.net/read.php?storyid=744963  
  
To be continued… 


	9. Chapter Eight

You know the disclaimers and all. This is by Gman. Thanks for your help.  
  
Chapter Eight  
  
The intangible menace known as the First Evil stalked its prey with an ever-present confidence. Bruce didn't know where he was, so running wasn't an option. And even if he did try to run, he knew next to nothing except it was a shape-shifter of some kind. For all he knew, it could turn into a cheetah or a lion and eat him before he could pivot to turn and run. So, like the true scientist he was, he decided to study it. "The first among who or what?" he asked.   
  
The visage of Buffy Summers, in a black jacket and black pants replied, "First evil will do. Think of me as the nagging little whisper in the head of every animated being telling them to punch the old lady in the face instead of helping her across the street, so to speak."  
  
Bruce ran his hand over his mouth vigorously trying to hide his disdain. A word kept ringing over and over in his mind…"Hellmouth." The mere thought of that word seemed to rile the monster within. His curiosity piqued even more and asked, "What is the Hellmouth? What does it have to do with the Hulk?"  
  
"I don't remember owing you an explanation as to my plans or motivations, Dr. Banner. But the Hellmouth, I will say, is an epicenter for the supernatural and inhuman. I assume somehow your big green/gray/whatever colored friends of yours sensed its power. Me and a friend of mine are sending tall dark and incredibly stupid to it so we can cleanse this planet of the mistake called humans. The world will be perfect once more. Total chaos and evil will reign; blood will cover the lands once again."  
  
Bruce took the "girl's" remarks with a true scientist's analytical skepticism. "You're right. You are evil," he said nodding. The doctor then sat down on a dusty cardboard box on the floor. "The First evil…and you want the Hulk to open this 'Hellmouth' so you can invite your legions, I assume, to Earth and party like its '1999 B.C."  
  
"More like bathe in crimson Jacuzzi's to our hearts content, but yeah, I can throw in a rave or two," the female-looking creature smirked.  
  
"You know something?" Bruce said defiantly, stepping toward "Buffy", "I'm getting sick and tired of everyone wanting something from me. It's always 'we need your help, Dr. Banner,' or 'you're gonna help us, Dr. Banner.' Whenever anyone asks for my help, it almost always ends up with the Hulk nearly destroying everything. I'm not helping you, get over it."  
  
"Bruce," the ghostly girl image said, "I don't want you. I have absolutely no use for nor have I any interest in you whatsoever. It's the Hulk. It's always the Hulk." Bruce knew the words to be true, but he tried to keep calm. "What? You think anyone actually gives a damn about you? You're just the shell. A socially underdeveloped little puissant who was blessed with awesome power, yet instead of embracing it for the wondrous gift that it is, you try to eradicate it, like it's some random disease.  
  
"The only reason anybody comes to you is because of him. The good guys want his help, not yours. The bad guys want his power, not yours. You're insignificant. You're irrelevant. You don't matter at all. In the grand design, Doctor Bruce Banner is about as important as a blade of grass. The Hulk, however, there's something special. Time is precious here, Doc, so, if you could just let him come out to play we can get this big ball of death rolling."   
  
Buffy walked through the torn-open school doors with intent and purpose. A large axe comfortably rested in her right hand as she let her senses go. She tried to listen for any kind of sound at all. "Come on, roar, wail, sneeze for God's sakes," she whispered to herself.   
  
A minute after stepping into the main hallway, Buffy finally heard a sound. However, the sound was of a knife whirling at her head. She leaned back and caught it with her left hand. "Naughty Slayer," muttered Drusilla as she ran forward and plunged a jumping kick into Buffy's chest. The slayer flew back ten feet, slamming against the wall. She dropped her weapons on impact and slid to the floor. "I want your hair," the crazed vampiress said picking up the knife, "Mommy's always wanted golden locks. Maybe daddy would not leave if mommy had…" Drusilla's rant was cut short by a kick to the mouth by Buffy.   
  
"Just shut the hell up," the slayer said as her opponent regained her footing. Buffy tried for a right cross but was swatted away and met with a backhand to the jaw. She turned into a leg sweep, but Drusilla leaped over the leg. Buffy countered the counter by mule-kicking her enemy in the stomach. She then ran forward and snapped a left kick to Drusilla's mouth, staggering her. The vampiress catches a roundhouse kick from Buffy and drives her elbow down on her knee. She then tries to sweep the slayer's other leg, but it instead connects with her face.   
  
Drusilla spun her legs around and rolled to one knee. Buffy sprung her legs forward, arching herself to her feet.   
  
Bruce shook his head and walked away from the First "Buffy". "Are you done?" he said, "The only thing that doesn't matter is whether they're after him or me. We're a packaged deal, one comes with the other. The Hulk and I are one and the same. We're Jekyll and Hyde, you smarmy little bitch. Betty was the one thing we agreed on…that and we don't like being pawns."   
  
"Get used to it, Banner," it said as a woman is heard screaming. Bruce hears it and recognizes it immediately. Bare feet nearly screeched as he ran toward the sound. Stopping himself after a minute of running frantically, he caught up to the source.   
  
A beautiful brunette was held down on the floor, by scaly, clawed hands. Her clothes were torn off her body, as shreds of it still clung to her body. The fright in her eyes was palpable even as they locked with Bruce's. "BRUCE!" she screamed. To Doctor Bruce Banner, her voice was unmistakable.  
  
"BETTY!" he shouted back as he started to help her. His progress was stopped and he was pushed back by a large wall of flame. After the fire descended, three figures stood before him, with hellish eyes fixated on him. He stared on horror as he remembered each face.   
  
The first being he recognized was the Leader. However, this Leader had his large green cranium nearly eaten off. The skin of his face seemed peeling and showing bone. The second face Bruce saw was of Glenn Talbot. Like the Leader's face, his appearance was that of someone suffering decomposition. His eyes were plain white and his jawbone was exposed, but the resemblance was uncanny.   
  
The third and final face Bruce saw chilled him and horrified him worse than the Leader or Talbot ever could. It was a face that even made the Hulk tremble with fear. With skin marred and peeling off his bones, his father, Brian, smiled a mouth-less smile. The three monstrosities then turned toward Betty, whose screaming increased with the sight of her captors.  
  
"Betty!" Bruce shouted as he ran to her, but the flames forbade him from coming closer. The demonic hands of those he despised most in the world groped her nakedness and caused her to wail in pain as they touched her. "BETTY!" he shouted louder, his despair turning into rage. The First, still as Buffy, watched on as the vision in Bruce's mind began to take hold.   
  
Suddenly, from seemingly nowhere, Spike crawled across the floor. "Son of a bitch," muttered the evil presence, "Don't you go near him."   
  
Spike muttered, "Floor…you never leave me, do you? No, you're always there, firm as the pretty girl's bum. How I miss the pretty girl's bum…and mouth…and breasts…and pus---Hey mate!" He saw Bruce staring intently and trying to move forward but somehow unable to. "What'cha doin'? You see something over there?" said the bleached blond vampire (now with a soul). He walked over toward the distraught scientist and looked at the spot.   
  
Seeing nothing there, Spike said, "You know, love, I appreciate the fact that I'm not the only Lizzie in this Borden, but you mind throwing on old dog a bone? What are you seeing?"   
  
"Stop touching her! Betty!" Bruce screamed, foam spewing from his lips. The demonic trio continues to take turns groping and invading Betty's body. The hands holding her arms and legs grip tighter, drawing blood from her. "Stop it! Betty! NOOO!" he shouted, with his voice becoming steadily deeper.   
  
The crazed shouting man Spike saw before him made him a bit cautious. He then said, "I hope you don't find it a bit rude, but if you're gonna cut Adam's apple from the bloody tree, could you do it soon? Because I need blood like Britney needs a thorough ass-kickin'." He then grabbed Bruce by the arm and tried to turn him away from the sight. He found it very difficult, if not impossible, to move the ordinary-looking scientist.  
  
Bruce whipped around with a snarl, and clutched the vampire's throat. With an unsettling ease matching the unsettling green eyes he showed off, he growled, "BETTY!!!!!" He held the blond vampire off the ground with a pillow's ease.  
  
Spike, though not needing to breathe, needed his vocal chords to speak to try and reason with him. "Mate, have you gone bloody daft!?" Bruce growled savagely, his eyes pulsating as he pulls back. Spike grunts, knowing what's about to happen and whimpers, "Oh, bloody hell." With an enraged roar, Bruce Banner hurled Spike away from him forty feet, half of it through two walls of concrete. Spike lost consciousness after the first wall and didn't even feel the second as he lay prone, covered in dust and debris.   
  
Bruce gripped his head and dropped to his knees. Slamming his hands on the ground, he made cracks in the floor as his body began to expand. The pinkish Caucasian color of his skin turned to green as he roared uncontrollably. The Hulk gripped his fists tightly and stood up to see the trio trembling in fear. "Demons hurt Betty," he grunted in a snarled whisper. Then he screamed, "HULK SMASH!"  
  
Buffy and Drusilla felt the tremors beneath them. "From beneath you, it devours," Drusilla whispered, "Somebody's found my little green doggie."  
  
Buffy's ears perked up at the description. She knew it could only be him. "What did you do, Drusilla?" she said tackling the vampiress, punching her repeatedly. "Where's the Hulk!? Where is he, Drusilla!? Tell me before I beat the rest of the brains out of your skull!"   
  
The crazed vampire smiled and giggled giddily, saying, "Doggie going to open the mouth…make everything right again. Like old times…Just like old times…" Before she could hear more of Drusilla's rants, Buffy drove a hard punch into her face, silencing her until the next time she woke up. She then ran over to pick up the large axe and sprinted for the basement.   
  
The three demons resembling the Leader, Glenn Talbot and Brian Banner made hurried sprints away from the seven-foot, muscular monster chasing them down. "HULK SMASH! HULK SMASH DEMONS! DEMONS HURT BETTY!" he shouted as he stomped forward, not letting the walls or doorways slow him down.   
  
The green engine of destruction kept pursuing the monsters until they reached a hollowed room with a large metallic lid with a goat-like symbol on it. The demons one by one jumped through the lid, taunting the Hulk. Brian Banner, the last one to leave, said, "Betty's through here! Come and save her if you can!"   
  
"HULK SAVE BETTY!" he screamed as he began pounding on the lid, denting it and bending but not moving it. The Hulk then began to tear the lid off the covering. The ground began to shake and move with his effort. "LID STRONG BUT HULK STRONGEST ONE THERE IS!"  
  
Buffy followed the rubble and debris, knowing that finding the Hulk was a matter of speed, not searching. All she had to do was follow the roars and explosions. She prayed while she ran that she wasn't too late.  
  
To be continued… 


	10. Chapter Nine

Chapter Nine  
  
Buffy ran down the maze, in the basement, knowing all too well the consequences if she was too late. The Hulk was a creature of destruction who needed to be stopped before he broke the lid that held the Hellmouth closed.  
  
Buffy nearly tripped over a piece of debris, before she realized that the debris was groaning, groaning an awful like Spike.  
  
She knew she should keep running, but she couldn't leave Spike trapped. Besides, she needed the help, for all the good it did against a creature like the Hulk. Even Glory didn't gave her this much trouble.  
  
She got to work, pulling the debris and wood, careful not to impale the wooden pieces into Spike in her hurry to get him out.  
  
"Spike!" She saw the lunatic vampire lying there, groaning.  
  
"S-Slayer? Wha' happened?"  
  
"Big green monster passin' by?" Buffy asked.  
  
Spike sat up, holding his head in his hands, "Yeah, passing through the floor first, then after getting too close, I did some passin through those walls over there. Limey's out of his mind, he is."  
  
Buffy grabbed an arm, and hauled Spike up. "Come on. I need your help."  
  
Spike nodded, "Yes. Help the girl. That's what I'll do, I will. Lead the way, luv."  
  
Buffy and Spike ran down the mazes, "I need your help, Spike. Do you know where the Hulk went?"  
  
"The Hulk? Oi! Limey! Yeah. Had a chat with someone I couldn't see. Though I think I might be going wacky, coz I saw the big green transformin' into a human. Scrawny one, he was, too."  
  
Buffy shook her head, dismissing that as one of his delusions. She's been worried about Spike lately. Something happened to him, that's for certain. She'd find out what that was when she had the time.  
  
Meanwhile, the Hulk was snarling and roaring, as he pounded on the lid, but it still held in place.  
  
"Aaaah... my dear Bruce...." The First smiled cruelly as it took on the form of General Thaddeus Ross.  
  
The Hulk didn't seem to notice him, as his features curled in further in rage.  
  
"ROSS!" Hulk screamed, marching ever forward, not letting piddly things like doorways and walls stop him.  
  
The Hulk has always hated Ross. He never understood why Ross always hunted and hounded him, with guns, tanks, and planes.  
  
"ROSS! Ross always hate Hulk, hunt and shoot Hulk with guns and tanks...Hulk smash them, now smash YOU!"  
  
The Hulk's rage increased with every passing second, as did his strength, and a crack was starting to show on the doorway.  
  
Buffy and Spike were getting close, real close, because the pounding was getting louder.  
  
"So, Slayer, how do you want to play this? Limey ain't exactly peaceful." Spike asked, as he looked around.  
  
"We have to stop him from opening the Hellmouth."  
  
Spike raised an eyebrow at Buffy, "Ain't easy as you make it sound, luv. Big boy makes Glory look like Shirley Temple."  
  
Buffy stared at him quizzically, he said, "shirley temple?" he began to dance and sings, "On the good ship, lollipop...this isn't a bloody rant!"  
  
Buffy shook her head. She didn't have time for this, so she promptly bitchslapped Spike in the face, "Get a grip, Spike! I don't know what the hell gotten into you, but right now, we don't have time to psychoanalyze you."  
  
"I'd right spend time thinking about what I'd do for a Klondike Bar and this isn't it."  
  
Buffy dragged Spike by the collar, "I need your demon, Spike. I'm thinkin' the Hulk is being used to open the Hellmouth. I need you to lead me to the hole, since, you're, well, a demon, and the Hellmouth draws plenty'a demons."  
  
"alright alright! I'll lead the bloody way" Spike said, guiding Buffy through the Hulk's destructive wake, closing in quickly.  
  
Meanwhile the First, now in the form of Talbot, smiled, cruelly, at the Hulk's work, then tilted its head, not looking at anything in particular. "Well, well, the Slayer and her pet vampire appears to be getting closer. Perhaps a couple of vampires should amuse them till we're done."  
  
Vampires, lackeys of the First, arrived in front of the Slayer and companion, barring the way. "This area's closed off to those with pulses!"   
  
Spike then interjects, "Oh, that means only I can enter."   
  
"And souls!"  
  
"Oh, bloody hell." Buffy and Spike got into fighting stances as the vampires came at them. Buffy kicked and punched, along with Spike, who let his vamp face out for a spell, "Now, this I missed! A good fight! Come on, mates! The Big Bad's waitin'!"  
  
Spike caught one punch, ducked another, kicking a vamp away. He bent the fist back, then coiled the arm underneath, snapping it. Afterwards, he snapped the vamp's neck. Buffy kicked a long wooden sliver and drove it deep into one vamp, dusting him, then another, dusting him.  
  
Spike found a long wooden stick. He broke the end of it into something sharp and took out the vamp lunging from behind Buffy. "Buffy! Look out!" He threw the staff and it hit him in the chest, and he exploded into dust. Buffy looked back at Spike with a grateful look. Spike nodded, "Go. I'll take care of these blokes."  
  
Buffy did so, noticing the sounds of the growls were straight ahead.  
  
Spike took one last at the form of his Slayer, then went back to the vamps, "Who wants a shot at ol' Spike?" He smirks in challenge. Meanwhile Buffy stopped in her tracks as she saw the Hulk, who was really huge. She didn't know what she can do against him, but maybe she should try another strategry. "Hulk, stop! You don't know what you're doing!"  
  
Hulk looked down at the girl, Crossbow girl as he "affectionately" called her, and swatted her away with his pinky finger. The blonde figure slammed hard against the far wall.  
  
Buffy shook her head, "Okay, tryin' that again." she stood up, "Why are you doing this? I saw the kind of...person you are. You don't want to hurt anybody."  
  
Hulk roared, swinging wildly, reaching his destination, a metallic covering with a weird goat-like face and stars on the lid. Buffy tried to pull Hulk's arm back, but as he swung it leisurely forward and back, the Slayer couldn't help but be dragged.  
  
Spike ran into the room. He saw Buffy hangin' onto that big arm with her dear life. He could see that he was about to hit that doorway with his fist, which was attracted to the arm Buffy was hanging on. "Oh, bloody hell." He ran at the huge monster and jumped onto his back, wrapping his arms around that big neck of his. The Hulk snarled and reached behind him, which made Buffy let go of his arm.  
  
Spike dropped down before the massive emerald mitts found their way to rip him apart. Buffy and Spike then took the chance to strike, clubbing at the back of the Hulk's knees.  
  
Which didn't even make him raise an eyebrow. The Hulk turned and snarled at Spike, advancing at him.  
  
Buffy drove a hard punch into the Hulk's abdomen. Xander's earlier prediction, while somewhat sarcastic at first, seemed almost prophetic. Buffy clutched her hand tightly as she felt it bounce off the steel-hard skin of the Engine of Destruction.  
  
Spike raised his hands, "Okay, mate, look, it's me, white hair? C'mon, Limey, I'm yer mate, innit I? And mates don't hurt each other, right?"  
  
The Hulk snarled wildly and clutched Spike by the chest. "Okay, maybe they do in fun."  
  
"Why are you doing this?" Buffy asked. She didn't want to risk him killing Spike, strange as it is. "What did we do to make you so angry?"  
  
"You attack Hulk! Hulk try and smash those who hurt Betty!"  
  
"You get in Hulk's way!"  
  
"If we let you do this, you'll destroy the world, Hulk. There's something inside you. I can't explain it, but I know there's someone good in you. Someone who doesn't want to see the world destroyed."  
  
"Hulk not care about the world! World tried to hurt Hulk! Hulk only cares about Betty!"  
  
"Hulk, please" Buffy pleaded, "Don't do this. If you do this, you'll not only destroy the world, but you'll destroy yourself, too. Is that what you want?"  
  
Hulk grunted and said, "Hulk not care, Betty all that matters."   
  
"Then please try to think. Is this what she would want? Is this what she would want you to do?"  
  
Hulk paused, his hands on the lid, ready to rip it open at a moments notice, then the First appeared the the Hulk as Betty and said, "Yes, Hulk. Please, do it...save me from Hell...save me from the demons, Hulk, only you can do it!"  
  
The Hulk growled, confused. He hated thinking, and he hated it when puny humans talk to him, twisting their words into lies, but he couldn't help it. Somewhere within him told him that he was being tricked, that the little girl was telling the truth. Snarling, the Hulk whirled and prowled through the walls, wanting escape, wanting to get away from all the talking, all the confusion. He drilled through the ground, and with a final punch that let sunlight hit his emerald face, the Hulk lept away, away from Sunnydale, away from it all.  
  
Spike scurried away from the sunlight as the debris tumbled to the ground. He ran away screaming, "Don't shine it there! Anywhere but there! Specialy not me hair! Don't shine it there!"  
  
Buffy sighed in relief, as she watched Spike scattering into the shadows. It's over. Whatever just happened. It was over. She followed Spike into the shadows, "Are you all right?"  
  
"I get clobbered, put through two walls, nearly put on the fried menu at a chicken place and ranting like a left-wing radical to boot! I'm hunky bloody dory!"  
  
Back at the Summers' house, after the Slayer had made her way home, she filled in the group on the transpiring action. Xander, as Buffy stated, did so not like what she had to say.   
  
"Damn, now I gotta work overtime," Xander groaned, "We were almost done there. I really hate monsters, especially ones who ruined construction jobs."  
  
Buffy had to smile at Xander's whining. "Well, the main thing, Xand, we saved the world. Though truthfully, I don't know what just happened, but we did it."  
  
Bruce Banner awoke in the desert ten miles away from Sunnydale. He held his head and rolled over onto his stomach.  
  
"I'm okay, just let me get my bearings, steady myself, then throw up."  
  
The First appeared in Betty's form."You think this is over, Bruce?" she said in a venomous tone. "It isn't over by a long shot." Bruce glared up at "Betty." "I'd like to think otherwise."  
  
"I know you now, I know your methods, I know your tricks. Most importantly, HE knows.  
  
"Nobody comes into my mind without me learning a thing or two about them. It's the perk of there being thousands of different variations of me. We all kind of see the same thing. Different mindset, same pair of peepers."  
  
"Betty" smiled humorlessly, "This was only one plan, Brucie. The next one is a doozy."  
  
Bruce sniffed. "That's nice. I'd appreciate it if you include me out."   
  
"Betty" laughed out loud. "this isn't a victory, Bruce. You might win, but I know one or two things about you, too. Including the fact that when this is all over." "she" gestured around their surroundings, "You will be, as before, alone. Always alone. Always at war with what's within you. That's your fate, Bruce Banner. To live alone, and to die alone." She laughed, and faded into nothing.  
  
"Tell me something I don't know." Banner said, walking into the desert.  
  
The End 


End file.
